'Redtide' by Brad Devlin.

For nearly 20 years, Louisville artist Brad Devlin has followed a whim to find new uses for discarded tools, pots, pans and more in combining, manipulating and painting them for their reincarnation into pieces of art. His creations sometimes resemble creatures or human characters and other times double as useful objects, such as lamps.

Over the decades, he's also cultivated a loyal following with his regular exhibits at Galerie Hertz. The current show of Devlin's art, called Waterworks, runs through March 19 at the gallery's 1253 S. Preston St. digs.

Here Devlin's 20 pieces that explore color and shape and incorporate found objects were inspired by the art of Richard Diebenkorn, who had been stirred by the work of Matisse. Devlin also said the explorations into color by painters Morris Louis and Helen Frankenthaler seeded ideas for the current show.